July 28, 2017

1977-Politics- College Days- Memories

.When Janta Party formed the first ever Non Congress Govt. we were in St. Stephen's College , Delhi.
There were animated discussions as to the youngest MP elected - some youth leader named Lallu Prasad ( later spelt Lalu Prasad ) from Bihar .
During Emergency days ( 1975-77 ) Indira Gandhi Govt. had promulgated , for arbitrary arrests , Maintenance of Internal Security Act ( for short MISA ). As Lalu Prasad was in jail under MISA when his eldest daughter was born he named her Misa.
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During 1977 we students shouted slogans like
" Hindustan Hamara Hai - Indira Ki Jagir Nahin "
" Andhkaar Mein Ek Prakash- Jai Prakash , Jai Prakash "
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There were political rallies held in Maurice Nagar Chowk, Delhi University. Indira Gandhi 's paternal aunt ( Bua ) Mrs. Vijay Laxmi Pandit would speak against Indira Gandhi ( in fluent English ).
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In 1977, Raj Narain became the Health Minister. Once , while on a Hospital inspection, he directed the Hospital authorities to remove the Signs " Emergency " from the Hospital as Raj Narain hated the word " Emergency 

2 comments:

Ashwani Kumar Aggarwal said...

Sir Maurice Gwyer , the first Vice Chancellor of Delhi University had a daughter named Miranda. So we have Maurice Nagar ( in DU ), Gwyer Hall ( a PG Hostel for Men ) and Miranda House ( girls college )

Ashwani Kumar Aggarwal said...

Before , Delhi University was set up in 1938, St. Stephen's College , Delhi was affiliated to Punjab University Lahore and before that to University of Calcutta. Punjab University was , also like the country partitioned in 1947. The Indian counterpart , now , in Chandigrah , initially functioned at Shimla ( with Registrar's office at Solan ). To distinguish the Indian Punjab University from its Lahore counterpart it is spelt PANJAB University.